Category Archives: Uncategorized

Why do so many projects go wrong?

Is everything the politicians’ fault? I am very concerned about the state of our public life. At a senior level we see incompetence, failure and complacency. I don’t just mean politicians. They are (perhaps unfairly) traditionally corrupt and incompetent. I mean the civil servants, those working in local government and other public bodies, managers inContinue reading “Why do so many projects go wrong?”

Silly games are enemies of saving

Speculating, investing and saving Many of those who have some spare money and want to make it work for them fail to distinguish between speculating, investing and saving. They are not mutually exclusive. However, each has its own characteristics risks and rewards, which need to be understood in the context of what a person isContinue reading “Silly games are enemies of saving”

Complexity is the enemy of the simple

The usefulness of collective investment funds/mutual funds is illustrated by global assets under management of around USD 69 trillion – but industry complexity is getting in the way of even greater success and depriving small savers of returns they can ill afford to ignore. The Financial Conduct Authority notes that “there are 15.6 million UKContinue reading “Complexity is the enemy of the simple”

What’s all this with “Big Bang” investments in the future growth of the UK?

What do the PM and the Chancellor want us to  do? According to the FT, “In a letter to the investment industry, the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak said UK institutional investors needed to “seize the moment” and use their “hundreds of billions of pounds” to back assets that often carry a longer termContinue reading “What’s all this with “Big Bang” investments in the future growth of the UK?”

Does consumer protection protect consumers?

No clear responsibility The key principles that underlie most investor protection or ‘treating customers fairly’ can be simply expressed. Here are some practical things a fund management company can do to attract and retain the loyalty of its customers. Give the customer what they paid for Don’t take advantage of the customer. Offer the customerContinue reading “Does consumer protection protect consumers?”

The system leaves small investors out

Why is £268,000,000,000 earning almost no return? Why does £268 billion sit in Cash ISAs earning almost nothing?. Out of the 22 million ISA investors there are more than 15 million cash only ISA subscribers, of whom 60% made no further subscription in the latest year for which data is available from HMRC . ThisContinue reading “The system leaves small investors out”